How To Relieve Back Pain While Pregnant?

Are you suffering from pain? If yes, learning these proven tips will surely help you relieve back pain during pregnancy. Your growing little miracle is impacting many significant changes in your life. One of the biggest changes is that slouched posture and hunched over are less an option because you are no longer the only occupant in the body. Your baby’s growth needs your back to remain wide and strong to support it as it grows and develops. We hope that you can get some relief from back pain during pregnancy by using these tips.

What Causes Back Pain During Pregnancy?

If you are pregnant, your center of gravity has shifted, which places added stress on your muscles and back, causing back pain. You’ll probably experience backaches as you grow larger in your pregnancy. Also, the growing baby’s weight puts pressure on the back and pelvis, causing back pain or strain. Premature labor pains can also bring on back pain.

How Can You Get Relief From Pregnancy Back Pain?

Back pain during pregnancy can be painful and debilitating, but it doesn’t have to be. Here are quick and easy ways to take the ache away and give you relief from back pain during pregnancy.

11 Tips for Pregnancy Back Pain Relief Proven To Work

Perform Stretches And Exercise – Stretch every hour and get exercise every day. Do simple hip stretches every day and roll out your spine. Exercise your abdomen to reduce stress on your back. For most pregnant women, doctors recommend swimming to strengthen the spinal cord and treat low back pain.

But, some exercises are best left alone while pregnant, but many different things can be done to relieve back pain in pregnancy that are relatively safe and effective. If you want to find out which ones will give you the most relief while getting you closer to the best possible pregnancy, you must subscribe to our YouTube channel.

Relax It Out – Whenever you feel back pain, stop and rest. Close your eyes to relieve back pain while pregnant. One of the best things you can do when you have back pain is close your eyes. Also, taking morning and evening strolls enhances spinal health and is good for getting relief from muscular tension and muscle pain.

Practice Prenatal/Pregnancyyoga – Yoga is especially good as it can relieve backache, and maybe you could take a pregnancy yoga class. If your OB-GYN approves, you can practice prenatal yoga. When should be the right time? Generally, you could start it right from your first trimester to minimize back pain.

Heat It Up – Try a heating pad to relieve back pain while pregnant. Have a hot tub or bath; heat targeted pads before use and place them on your sore muscles. Also, consider using a hot water bottle or using a birthing ball for relief.

Soft Support – Invest in a firm mattress and try to sleep on your side. When sitting, choose a chair with excellent back support. Sit on a doughnut-shaped cushion or wedge pillow that can help reduce pressure on your back and pelvis.

Wear A Maternity Support Belt – Wear a maternity belt to relieve pregnancy back pain. Consider this – you may not be getting enough support for your growing belly. Pregnancy can also cause your ligaments to stretch out and become loose, leading to more back pain. And, many women swear that wearing a maternity belt really helps in getting relief from back pain during pregnancy.

Find Ways To Improve Your Posture – Pregnant women should practice good posture to reduce stress on the spine. For example, leaning toward a desk is not good for back pain. You might be tempted to lean back to support your growing belly, but this can cause strain to the lower back. So, stand up straight. When sitting, place shoulder support and sit with your shoulders pulled back and resting your feet on a stool.

Take Acupuncture Treatment – You might want to try acupuncture. Studies have shown that acupuncture can relieve back pain in pregnant women, and many moms swear by its effectiveness. However, it has to be administered correctly.

The American Pregnancy Association recommends consulting a doctor about the risks before deciding on this treatment option. Consult with your doctor before attempting any alternative remedies; he or she can recommend a certified acupuncturist with experience working with pregnant women.

Take Pain Relieving OTC And Medication– Consider taking acetaminophen or NSAIDs over-the-counter pain medications to alleviate lower back pain during pregnancy. Buy pain-relieving gel or gels and rub them on your back at night/day if you can’t get treatment from a therapist (experiment, ask friends and family, do online research)

Visit A Chiropractor – Chiropractic care will help promote mobility and provide relief, allowing you to move comfortably throughout your pregnancy. How can a chiropractor help ease pregnancy back pain? Pregnancy can affect the body in many ways, such as increased muscle, ligament, and joint pain. To reduce or relieve the pressure on your back and support the baby’s weight, a Chiropractor may use spinal adjustment, massage therapy or soft tissue mobilization to correct any misalignment of the vertebrae caused due to hormonal changes during pregnancy. This helps in relieving back pain or backaches.

Ask Your Doctor For Advice – When you’re sick of back pain while pregnant, finding a cure can seem next to impossible. But, if you pay attention to your body and mind when looking for relief, you can find tips that help even the most painful of problems go away. The only catch? If things get worse, be sure to see a doctor; after all, pregnancy is not a time to be rushed into proper health care.

Additional 10 Tips To Get Relief From Pregnancy Back Pain:

  1. Have your partner rub your back
  2. Go for a walk at lunchtime
  3. Close your laptop, palmtop, or other device and move to a real keyboard
  4. Stand properly when you work
  5. Get enough sleep
  6. Eat a healthy diet
  7. Keep hydrated but not oversaturated
  8. Relieve stress and anxiety about becoming a new mom
  9. Stay active, but not too active (take frequent breaks during the day)
  10. Don’t wear heels; wear comfortable or low-heeled shoes.

The Takeaway

Okay, so at this point, you probably understand that your pregnancy back pain can be managed. However, you may still wonder what you can do to get relief from it. And that’s okay! The most important thing is that you are staying active and trying to find ways to fit in regular exercise. In addition, you should continue trying out some of the tips we discussed today in order to find other solutions as well. Whether that’s a pregnancy wedge pillow and elevation, a special pillow for side sleeping, or acupuncture, there are plenty of options out there for you. Use these resources and stay active. You’ll eventually find a solution that works!

 Sources

  1. Musculoskeletal changes and pain during pregnancy. Bonnie L Bermas, MD. (Accessed at https://www.uptodate.com/contents/maternal-adaptations-to-pregnancy-musculoskeletal-changes-and-pain)
  2. “Accupuncture for pelvic and back pain in pregnancy.” American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology. (Accessed at https://www.ajog.org/article/S0002-9378(07)02115-1/fulltext)
  3. “Swimming for back pain.” (Accessed at https://www.prpaspinesurgery.com/articles/back-pain-swimming)
  4. NSAIDs: Nonsteroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs. (Accessed at https://www.spine-health.com/treatment/pain-medication/nsaids-non-steroidal-anti-inflammatory-drugs)
  5. Acetaminophen for Back Pain. (Accessed at https://www.spine-health.com/treatment/pain-medication/acetaminophen-back-pain)
Marzia Khan
Marzia Khan

Marzia Khan is the director of content and operations at RobustAlive. She contributes to content strategy and process management across product initiatives, RND, and the editorial. Her work has been featured in The New York Times, Frontline, and the PBS. Before joining RobustAlive, she also co-authored award-winning research on health and wellness and participated in various initiatives to increase awareness about healthy living and chronic disease prevention. She acts as the co-editor for RobustAlive and brings an expansive network of connections to the table while managing activity execution where required.

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